1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Wedding Band. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play starts off in South Carolina in 1918 and it is the first day Julia moves into her house. Fanny and Lula are outside looking for the quarter that Teeta lost.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
Everything starts to change after Herman gets sick at Julias house. The drama really starts when Herman's mother is verbally attacking Julia.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This play is set in South Carolina in 1918 and this is key to the play because it is a time of segregation and racism in the U.S. The themes fit perfect in time and place in history. If this play was written now, the issue of interracial marriage would be nonexistent. They could be married happily so there would not even be a Wedding Band play.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question for the play is wether or not they can ever get married. Will the laws change to allow for a white and black person to marry? It is testing the social constructs of that time and trying to change them to be equal to all races.
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Throughout the play Julia wants to be able to marry Herman. She wants justice and equality for both blacks and whites in this world but the racist society will not allow it. - Julia against herself: tired of being lonely and moving around so much - Julia against another individual: the hatred between her and Herman's mother. She constantly bashes Julia and calls her racial slurs. -Julia againist society: Julia's fight against racism. She wants to be equal to the whites and be allowed to marry Herman. -Julia againist fate: wether or not they are destined to be married and happily together. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
I think the most theatrical moment was the last scene. When Julia and Herman are just holding each other and he is slowly dying. His last words are "yes" repeated softly. I can imagine it perfectly in my head like a classic movie.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1. One major image is when Herman and Julia are in the house and he gives her a necklace with the wedding band on it. It symbolizes that they cannot show to the world that they are together. They have to be discreet about it which is why it is on a necklace. 2. The second image is that of the quarter in the beginning of the play. When Teeta loses the coin under Julia's house, Julia gives her another quarter. This shows that Julia has a giving heart and she is a kind person. 3. The third image is the ticket to the North that Julia wants. It symbolizes the freedom she will get once she moves up to Philly or New York. It meant so much for her to leave but caused such tension when Herman's mother found out.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Racism, marriage, economic status, military and war, religion.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
There is different types of family in this play. The first type is the way Herman's family is and how unsupportive they are. They are those families that are very judgmental and do not care for excuses. On the other hand, there is the type of families that will support you no matter what and always be there for you. There is always the friendship type of family that Julia had for Fanny towards the end of the play. It isn't blood family but they share s friendship bond that is like family.
The play starts off in South Carolina in 1918 and it is the first day Julia moves into her house. Fanny and Lula are outside looking for the quarter that Teeta lost.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
Everything starts to change after Herman gets sick at Julias house. The drama really starts when Herman's mother is verbally attacking Julia.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This play is set in South Carolina in 1918 and this is key to the play because it is a time of segregation and racism in the U.S. The themes fit perfect in time and place in history. If this play was written now, the issue of interracial marriage would be nonexistent. They could be married happily so there would not even be a Wedding Band play.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question for the play is wether or not they can ever get married. Will the laws change to allow for a white and black person to marry? It is testing the social constructs of that time and trying to change them to be equal to all races.
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Throughout the play Julia wants to be able to marry Herman. She wants justice and equality for both blacks and whites in this world but the racist society will not allow it.
- Julia against herself: tired of being lonely and moving around so much
- Julia against another individual: the hatred between her and Herman's mother. She constantly bashes Julia and calls her racial slurs.
-Julia againist society: Julia's fight against racism. She wants to be equal to the whites and be allowed to marry Herman.
-Julia againist fate: wether or not they are destined to be married and happily together.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
I think the most theatrical moment was the last scene. When Julia and Herman are just holding each other and he is slowly dying. His last words are "yes" repeated softly. I can imagine it perfectly in my head like a classic movie.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1. One major image is when Herman and Julia are in the house and he gives her a necklace with the wedding band on it. It symbolizes that they cannot show to the world that they are together. They have to be discreet about it which is why it is on a necklace.
2. The second image is that of the quarter in the beginning of the play. When Teeta loses the coin under Julia's house, Julia gives her another quarter. This shows that Julia has a giving heart and she is a kind person.
3. The third image is the ticket to the North that Julia wants. It symbolizes the freedom she will get once she moves up to Philly or New York. It meant so much for her to leave but caused such tension when Herman's mother found out.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Racism, marriage, economic status, military and war, religion.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
There is different types of family in this play. The first type is the way Herman's family is and how unsupportive they are. They are those families that are very judgmental and do not care for excuses. On the other hand, there is the type of families that will support you no matter what and always be there for you. There is always the friendship type of family that Julia had for Fanny towards the end of the play. It isn't blood family but they share s friendship bond that is like family.